Mechanism of Bu-Shen Kang-Shuai Tablet on Oxidative Stress in Atherosclerosis / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

ABSTRACT

This study was aimed to determine effect of Bu-Shen Kang-Shuai (BSKS) Tablet on HO-1 mRNA and its associated oxidative stress levels among atherosclerotic rabbits. A total of 56 rabbits were randomly divided into the normal group (8 rabbits) and the experimental group (48 rabbits). Normal diet was given to the normal group. Atherosclerotic rabbits models were established in the experimental group. At the eighth week, rabblits in the experi-mental group were randomly divided into the model group, BSKS Tablet group and simvastatin group. Blood samples were collected before medication, 8-, 12-, 16-week after medication from rabbits of each group. Rabbits were sacri-ficed under aseptic conditions at the last blood collection. Expressions of aortic HO-1 mRNA and PPARα mRNA were measured by Q-PCR method. The level of MMP-9 was measured by immunohistochemical assay. Serum HbCO, COX-2 activity and cGMP level were measured by ELISA assay. The results showed that after the intervention of BSKS Tablet, serum HbCO level decreasd, cGMP was obviously increased. However, there was no obvious change on the COX-2 activity. The immunohistochemical assay showed that BSKS Tablet obviously reduced MMP-9 level of rabbits. There was only small amount of aortic HO-1 mRNA expression in the normal group. However, the expres-sion of aortic HO-1 mRNA in the atherosclerosis group was increased. After intervention of BSKS Tablet, the ex-pression of HO-1 mRNA was increased with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Simvastatin had similar antioxidant effect. It was concluded that the compound preparation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) BSKS Tablets had an important antioxidant effect in treatment of atherosclerosis. Its protective mechanism may be through the regulation of HO-1 mRNA gene expression and effects of HO-1/CO-cGMP pathway activities of related enzymes while peroxida-tion stability of atherosclerotic plaque.